A typical sausage consists of ground meat that's combined
with fat, flavorings, and preservatives, and then stuffed into a casing
and twisted at intervals to make links. Pork is most commonly
used, but butchers also use beef, lamb, veal, turkey,
chicken, or game, and some also use fillers like oatmeal and
rice to stretch the meat a bit. Casings vary too--in addition to
intestines or artificial casings, butchers sometimes use stomachs, feet,
skins, or they do away with casings altogether and sell the sausage in
bulk. After assembling a sausage, a butcher can either sell it as fresh sausage, or else cure, dry, or
precook it in some way.

Varieties:

abruzzo sausage

andouille = Cajun andouille = Louisiana andouille Pronunciation: ahn-DWEE or
ann-DO-ee Notes: This is a spicy smoked Cajun sausage
that's used in jambalaya and gumbo. Don't confuse it with the milder
French andouille sausage.Substitutes: kielbasa

andouillette Pronunciation: ahn-dwee-YET
Notes: This tripe sausage is a small version of French
andouille sausage. Definitely not a party pleaser, but some people have
grown accustomed to its taste. Substitutes: French andouille
(larger) OR Italian sweet sausage

banger Notes: This is a mild British pork
sausage.

bauerwurst = bauernwurst Pronunciation: BOW-er-wurst OR BOW-er-vurscht
Notes: This is a chunky German farmer's sausage that's often
grilled and served on a bun or cooked with sauerkraut.

blood sausage = blood pudding = black pudding
= black sausage = boudin noir Notes:
These eggplant-colored sausages are made of pig's blood mixed with fat,
a filler like bread crumbs, and other flavorings that vary from region
to region. They're usually sold precooked, but most people heat
them before serving. Regional varieties include Germany's blutwurst,
Louisiana's boudin rouge, and Spanish morcilla. Substitutes:
zungenwurst OR boudin blanc

blutwurst Notes: This is a spicy and salty German
blood sausage made from pork, beef, and beef blood. Germans like to snack
on it, or mix it with sauerkraut. It comes already cooked, but it's
usually heated before being served. Substitutes: blood
sausage

bockwurst Pronunciation:
BAHK-wurst OR BAHK-vurscht Notes: This is a mild
German sausage made with veal, pork, milk, and eggs, and seasoned with chives
and parsley. You need to cook it before serving. Use it soon after
you buy it--it's very perishable. Substitutes: bratwurst

boerewors = boeries = wors = boerewurst Notes: This is a
spicy South African farmer's sausage, made with beef, pork, and pork fat, and
seasoned with coriander. You need to cook it before serving.

boudin blanc = white boudin Pronunciation: boo-DAHN BLAHN
Notes: This is a white sausage made of meat
(pork, chicken, or veal) and rice. France
produces a very delicate milk-based version, while the Cajun version includes
a lot of rice as a filler, making it chewier and more
flavorful. Substitutes: weisswurst OR bratwurst

boudin rouge = red boudin Pronunciation:
boo-DAHN ROOZH Notes: This Cajun specialty is similar to boudin blanc, except that it also includes pork
blood. Use it soon after you buy it. Substitutes: blood
sausage OR boudin
blanc OR blutwurst

bratwurst Notes: This is made with pork and
sometimes veal, and seasoned with subtle spices. It usually needs to be cooked before
eating, though some markets carry precooked bratwurst.. Substitutes: weisswurst OR boudin blanc
OR bockwurst

chaurice Pronunciation: shore-EESE Notes:
This spicy pork sausage is used in jambalaya and other Creole and
Cajun dishes. It's available either in links or patties, but it's hard
to find outside of Louisiana. Substitutes: andouille

chipolata sausage Pronunciation: chippo-LAH-tuh
Notes: These pork sausages are as small as Vienna
sausages, but they're much spicier. Substitutes: Vienna
sausage OR cocktail wieners

chorizo, Mexican Shopping hints: This is
fresh pork mixed with lots of spices. Don't confuse Mexican chorizo, which
needs to be cooked, with Spanish
chorizo, which is dry-cured.To make your own: See
the Homemade
Chorizo
recipe posted on RecipeSource.com.Substitutes: Italian hot
sausage OR mild Italian sausage OR spicy breakfast sausage OR Spanish
chorizo

chorizo, Spanish Shopping hints: Don't
confuse Mexican chorizo, which is moist and needs to be cooked, with the Spanish
version, which is dry-cured and ready-to-eat. Spanish chorizo is made from
pork, and it's very hot and spicy. Substitutes: kielbasa
OR pepperoni OR other dry-cured pork sausage OR linguisa (hotter) OR Mexican chorizo (This
needs to be cooked)

cotechino Pronunciation: koh-TEH-kee-noh
Notes: This is a mild and fatty Italian pork
sausage. The links should be pierced before cooking to allow some of the
fat to drain out.

Cumberland sausage Notes: This British pork
sausage is usually displayed in markets as a long coil, and it's sold by the
length rather than by the link. It's often baked in the oven with
cabbage and potatoes.

farinheiras Notes: This
Portuguese "flour sausage" is hard to find in the United States.

French andouille sausage Pronunciation: ahn-DWEE Notes: Don't confuse this with Cajun andouille,
which is much spicier.Substitutes: andouillette
(smaller)

goetta Notes: This is Cincinnati's answer
to scrapple. It's a mixture of oatmeal and sausage that's fried. Substitutes:
scrapple

grützewurst = grutzewurst

haggis Pronunciation: HAG-iss Notes:
This large Scottish sausage is made by stuffing a sheep's stomach with the
animal's heart, lungs, and liver, and then adding oatmeal, onion, fat, and
seasonings. It's usually steamed before serving.

hot dog = wiener = weiner (a common misspelling) =
frankfurter = frank = tube steak = wienerwurst = griddleNotes:
An American staple, hot dogs are mild, smoked, and usually skinless sausages that are traditionally
served in a bun with relish and mustard. They've declined in popularity in
recent years because they're relatively high in fat and sodium. This decline was
hastened in late 1998 when several people died after being exposed to Listeria,
a deadly bacterium which was traced to some improperly prepared hot dogs and
deli meats. Substitutes: Vienna sausage OR bockwurst
OR banger Links:See the USDA fact sheet on hot
dogs.

Italian sausage Notes: This
is a pork sausage that's often added to pasta sauces. Varieties include sweet
Italian sausage = mild Italian sausage, which is flavored with garlic
and fennel seed, and hot Italian sausage,
which also has a shake or two of crushed chile peppers. It's sold
either as links or in bulk. Cook thoroughly before serving.

knackwurst = knockwurst = knoblauch Pronunciation:
NAK-worst OR NAK-vursht Notes: These smoked beef sausages are seasoned with lots of garlic. They
should be cooked
before eating, and they're often served like hot dogs or smothered in
sauerkraut. Substitutes:
hot dogs

kolbasz Notes: This Hungarian sausage is similar
to Polish kielbasa, except that it has paprika added to it. Substitutes:
kielbasa

landjager = landjaeger Notes: The
name means "hunter," perhaps because this smoked
beef sausage needs no refrigeration and is handy to take on hunts. Look
for thin flat sticks in German delis. Substitutes:
pepperoni OR salami

linguica = linguiça Pronunciation:
lin-gwee-SAH Notes: This is a fairly
spicy Portuguese smoked garlic
sausage. You need to cook it before serving it. Substitutes: linguisa OR kielbasa OR
Spanish chorizo OR andouille

linguisa Substitutes: kielbasa OR pepperoni OR chorizo
(milder)

longanisa = longaniza Substitutes: kielbasa

loukanika Pronunciation: loo-KAH-nih-kah
Notes: This spicy Greek sausage is made with lamb, pork,
and orange rind. Cook it before serving.

medisterpoelse sausage Notes:
This is a Danish pork sausage. Cook it before serving.

merguez sausage = mirkâsNotes:
This North African lamb sausage is seasoned with garlic and hot spices.
It's often used in couscous dishes.

mettwurst = metts Pronunciation: MET-wurst
OR MET-vursht Notes: At least two kinds of
sausages answer to the name mettwurst. People in Cincinnati use the name
to describe a kielbasa-like sausage that's made with
beef and pork, seasoned with pepper and coriander, and smoked. They like
to grill it and serve it on a bun. Elsewhere, mettwurst is soft like
liverwurst and ready to eat. It's usually spread on crackers and
bread. Substitutes:
kielbasa (for Cincinnati's mettwurst) OR bratwurst (for Cincinnati's
mettwurst) OR teewurst (for spreadable mettwurst)

morcelasNotes: This is the
Portuguese version of blood sausage.

morcilla Notes: This is Spain salty version of
blood sausage, usually made with onion or rice as a filler. Substitutes:
boudin rouge

pepperoni Notes: This spicy sausage is made with
beef and pork. It's hard and chewy, and makes a terrific topping for
pizza. You don't need to cook it before eating. Substitutes: salami
OR lap cheong (sweeter) OR Spanish chorizo OR Canadian bacon (Works well as a pizza
topping.)

tocino Notes: Tocino is Spanish for bacon, but in
the Philippines, it refers to cured pork that's been marinated in a sweet red
sauce. Look for it in Asian markets.

Toulouse sausagePronunciation: too-LOOZ
Notes: This exquisite French sausage is usually made with
pork, smoked bacon, wine, and garlic. It's a great sausage for a cassoulet.
Cook it before serving. Substitutes: kielbasa (works
well in a cassoulet) OR Italian sweet
sausage

weisswurst = weißwürste = white sausagePronunciation:
WICE-wurst OR VICE-vurscht Notes: These are mildly
seasoned German veal sausages, very light in color. Germans like to eat
them with potato salad during Oktoberfest. Cook before
eating. Substitutes: bockwurst ORbratwurst OR boudin
blanc